Not applicable.
1. Technical Field
The present invention, in general, relates to decorated luminary products, and more particularly relates to candle products decorated by the application of a decorative film having temperature sensitive properties, either to the candles themselves, or to candle holders in which the candles are situated.
2. Background Information
Luminary products, such as candles and candle products come in many shapes, sizes, and designs. The terms xe2x80x9cluminary, luminaries, and luminary productsxe2x80x9d shall be used herein in reference to combustible active material or fragrance delivery candles, or illumination devices which are wick based and burn a hydrocarbon-based fuel, such as candles, oil lamps or lanterns. For example, the invention is applicable to illuminating devices in which the source of illumination is a burning wick, consuming lamp oil, and enclosed within a conventional oil lamp having a glass chimney. Some candles are intended to stand alone, while others are intended to be held upright as candlesticks, or in lanterns, jars, and the like. Other candles are intended to be situated in candle holders, and in the case of so-called gel candles and some wax candles, commonly called jar candles, the candles may substantially fill the volume of the holders in which the candles are situated, or come to some desired level of filling of the holder. More-over, it is to be understood that when a luminary, or a candle or candle holder is referred to, it is intended to include not only candles, but other forms of luminary devices, such as oil lanterns and lamps and globes for such. Thus, it is to be noted that the present invention is not to be limited to candles, and such, but encompasses luminary devices having various substrates which are subject to temperature variation or modification such as may activate a thermochromatic wrap applied thereto, particularly those in which temperature variations result from radiant energy impinging upon the surface of the material to which a thermochromatic material is applied.
In many of these cases, it is desirable to decorate the luminary products to improve their aesthetics, for both when the luminary is displayed unlit, and for when lit. However, it can be difficult and costly to decorate the exterior surface of a luminary or its holder. Also, many known techniques do not provide flexibility in production to rapidly and easily change the particular decorative design. This limits the ability to provide cost-effectively a variety of designs, or to tailor the designs to the desires of the consumer, or to a specific season, event, motif, holiday or the like, or to provide a product having a decorative effect which changes in accordance with whether the luminary is itself lit or unlit.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a cost-effective decorating method which permits greater flexibility in production to allow a change from among varied decorative designs, and provides a decorative luminary product which changes when the luminary itself is burning.
It has long been known to encase candles in protective material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,137,707, of Wade, et al., relates to a process for packaging tapered candles in a seamless casing formed of a non-fibrous, cellulosic material. The casing may be transparent, translucent and/or colored. In one embodiment, the non-fibrous, cellulosic material is formed into a tube, which is wetted to soften the material for application to the candle. The diameter of the wet tube is substantially equal to the mean diameter of the tapered candle, and as the wet tube is pushed down onto the candle, or a mandrel having the same dimensions as the candle, it stretches as necessary to fit over the wider end of the candle. Then, the covered candle is dried, and the tube forms a protective casing that conforms closely to the shape of the candle, and will retain the candle wax whether in a solid or melted state.
It has also been known to wrap candles in heat-shrinkable films for shipping and display. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,126,682, Krance teaches a method of wrapping candles. A tube of heat-shrinkable film material is loosely formed about the candle by shaping a web of the material about the candle with overlapping longitudinal edges. By grasping the tube just beyond each end of the candle, the wrapped candle is carried past a heat source, by which the material is heat shrunk around the candle. The material selected has two important characteristics: it will not shrink any further once it contacts the surface of the candle, and it holds a high charge of static electricity which causes it to cling when overlapped. Thus, the material is not heat sealed, but rather is held together statically around the candle after shrinking to a tight fit.
It has also been known to apply heat-shrinkable wraps on various objects for decorative purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,348, of Spiegel et al., relates to decorating three-dimensional objects such as ornaments, glassware, or electric bulbs. The object is decorated by heat-shrinking a decorated tube or band of heat-shrinkable plastic about the object. The tube or band is decorated by applying precut patterns, silk screening, striping or the like, prior to application of the tube or band to the object to be decorated. The plastic is preferably polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene, which is uniaxially oriented, resulting in a 30-50% diametric shrinkage versus only a 2-10% height shrinkage of the tube, resulting in an intimate contact of the entire interior surface of the band or tube with the exterior surface of the decorated object.
Similarly, US Reissue Patent RE. 20,434, of Barrett, Jr., teaches the preparation of a sanctuary candle, wherein the body of the candle is tightly jacketed in a cylindrical transparent film of amorphous cellulose, fitted to the candle while still un-dried. It is taught that the film may be either clear or colored, and may be combined with a colored glass tube forming the outside of the assembly, which includes a bottom assembly and a cap.
In co-pending patent application 09/550,285, filed Apr. 14, 2000, of which this is a Continuation-In-Part application, Kotary et al. disclose a technique for the application of a shrink-wrap decorative film to a candle for the purpose of providing a cost-effective and flexible method for providing a variety of decorative effects upon candle products. That co-pending application is directed specifically to methods of application of shrink-wrap films to a candle product, and the products obtained by such methods, with little discussion of specific visual effects attainable therewith.
The present invention relates to luminary products which change, or evolve, as the flame of the luminary element burns. Thus, as the interior of the candle holder, chimney, globe, jar, or other surrounding surface upon which a thermochromatic design or indicia is drawn, imprinted, or otherwise applied, is heated by the flame of the candle or burning element, the surface design changes as a result. Specifically, the present invention relates to candles or other luminary devices having a holder, chimney, globe, jar, etc. associated therewith, wherein there is applied to the surface of said holder, chimney, jar, etc., a shrink wrap film upon which a design or indicia has been printed, painted, or otherwise applied, employing an ink or paint having thermal sensitivity, whereby the ink or paint may change color, become visible, or become invisible as a result of heat. The design or indicia may be applied as the sole layer of decoration of the shrink wrap film, or may be part of a more complex label in which a number of layers of imprinted, drawn, or otherwise applied indicia or designs are present, using normal ink or paint in conjunction with the thermochromatic ink or paint, or using only the thermochromatic ink or paint. For example, the shrink wrap, prior to application to the exterior surface of a candle jar, may be printed with a background layer, or a single design or pattern of conventional ink suitable for use as a decorative candle label, and a second, thermochromatic pattern may be applied over the first, in registry therewith so as to produce a desired pattern, to provide a specific effect upon heating of the label by the burning of the candle within the holder, chimney, jar, etc.
Thermochromatic inks and paints are known, but none have been employed in the manner suggested herein. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,492, Frazier teaches the application of a film to a candle surface, wherein the film provides a message or other indicia positioned so as to be invisible prior to lighting of the candle, but which becomes visible after the candle has been lit. In this reference, a holder is used to position the film between the candle and the holder, which has a wall of translucent material which hides the strip from view prior to lighting of the candle. After the candle has been lit, and the paraffin melted and liquified, the light from the burning wick shows through the translucent wall of the holder and the transparent portions of the strip. Thus, the indicia which becomes visible after lighting the candle is not thermochromatic in nature, but merely translucent or transparent, whereas the remainder of the film is opaque or translucent, so that the flame provides light which is transmitted through the liquified paraffin of the candle to reveal the printed indicia. A thin coating of dye may be applied to the inside surface of the film, so that the light passing through the transparent portion is colored. The film itself is said to be a photographic film, preferably a polyester base film which is substantially non-shrinking during development, and non-curling during heating.
Galloway, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,473, teaches a candle having a higher melting outer coating into which is incorporated a material which when exposed to the heat of the flame, yields a flame of a desired color. In this situation, the flame of the burning candle forms a cup like depression, surrounded by a higher melting outer coat resin, plastic, or other material, into which a chromogenic material is incorporated. The rim of the cup like depression is on the boundary of the flame, whereby it is raised to a far higher temperature than temperatures obtained at the wick or in the pool of liquified wax. The flame is then colored by passage of the light thereof through the highly heated chromogenic agents at the boundary of the flame. The patent makes no mention of printing a pattern, or any design, on the outer surface, and makes no claim that the nature of the color-producing material is new. What is claimed to be novel is the position of the color-producing material in the candle.
Nakasuji et al, Kito et al, and Kito et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,028,118, 4,720,301, and 4,732,810, respectively, all teach reversible, temperature indicating compositions which provide a wide range of hues and function over a broad temperature range. However, none of the references suggests application of such inks to a shrink wrap label to be applied to a surface which is heated by an internally positioned candle flame.
Additional temperature indicating devices are taught by Hutchinson, and by Brown, Jr., et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,778, which discloses a thermographic indicator overlay, which may be positioned on the human body, to assist in the detection of malignant tumors by indication of areas of temperature difference. In Hutchinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,373, a thermochromatic temperature indicator is taught which may be secured to the exterior of a beverage container, either magnetically or by adhesive means.
Taga, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,215, discloses a candleholder having an improved ornamentation effect. The candleholder comprises a hollow shell, shaped in the form of an animal, building, fruit, etc., which is heated by a candle positioned in its internal cavity. At least a portion of the external surface of the hollow shell is covered with a thermally responsive, color changing material, such as taught in the previously cited Nakasuji et al patent. When the candle is burned, the shell is heated, and the pattern seen is changed. The thermally sensitive material is applied directly to the shell by painting, printing, etc.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,234, Kanakkanatt teaches a candle with an effect of color change with the use of positive and negative types of thermochromic dyes which develop dense color on heating to the melting point of wax. These candles are composed of mixture comprising compounds selected from an electron donating chromogenic organic compound, an electron accepting aromatic organic compound, a medium selected from aliphatic alcohols or paraffinic waxes, one or more of oil-based fragrances containing aromatic aldehydes, ketones, or esters, and soluble halides or nitrates of transition metals. By controlling the relative proportions and the physical proximity of the ingredients in a candle or candle wax or other waxes, as well as the specific thermochromic compound selected, a color may develop from a colorless state giving a positive thermochromic effect, or the initial color may be erased giving a negative thermochromic effect, on heating or when the candle bums. These color changing waxes and candles made therefrom may also transform from one color shade to another color shade when mixed with conventional oil-based dyes to give a color-to-color effect on heating or melting the wax as the candle burns.
In addition to the previously cited patents relevant to application of shrink wrap materials to surfaces, there are any number of references which teach the application of decorative and/or identifying materials, such as labels, to the exterior surfaces of various items. For example, Bright et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,496, teach a method for labeling convex surfaces, such as bottles, eggs, Christmas tree ornaments, and the like, by attachment of both ends of a segment of heat shrinkable material to the surface with an adhesive, followed by heat shrinking the major portion of the segment to a tight adherence to the surface. Conventional heat-shrink materials are employed, having a high degree of orientation of shrinkage. Heat shrinkable polyester films having particularly favorable shrink characteristics are taught by Mori et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,685. The shrink-wrap films of this reference are said to be preferable due to the fact that not only do they undergo relatively little longitudinal sinking when shrunk, but that they also have very few wrinkles, shrinkage spots, or strains remaining after shrinkage.
Thus, there are a number of teachings of films suitable for shrink wrap application to an object for decorative purposes, but none which teach the shrink wrap application of a label bearing a design, print, or indicia which is responsive to light from a candle or similar flame, in that the design, print, or indicia is xe2x80x9cchangedxe2x80x9d by the heat of the candle or flame during burning, and effectively alters the design as a result of temperature sensitivity. Thermosensitive or thermochromatic inks are known, and have been applied to various surfaces in the past, for decorative and for safety-illumination purposes. However, none have been suggested as suitable for shrink-wrap application to a substrate to be lit by a candle for subsequent change to a different color or such.
Further, high transparency of the shrink wrap label is desirable, to allow background lighting to show through, such as when applied to the outer surface of a candle holder, so that light from the burning candle will show through the film, while the printed area of the film simultaneously absorbs light from the candle, and subsequently changes as heat is absorbed from the candle, to provide a striking visual effect. None of the previously discussed references provide such an effect.
Thus, it has not previously been proposed to decorate a luminary product such as a candle or a candle holder with a heat-shrinkable film having properties such that the film bears a design or pattern which changes or evolves during the burning of the candle and after the candle is extinguished. The product thus is visually pleasing not only during burning, but when displayed unlit, it bears a visually pleasing pattern. It is to be noted that the thermochromatic materials used in the present invention may be xe2x80x9cchangedxe2x80x9d not only by the heat of the candle light when the candle is lit, but by heat from other sources when the candle is unlit but in an environment where the temperature is above normal room temperature. Thus, the decorative candle of this invention will appear to change while sitting unlit on a table in proximity to a burning fireplace, for example, even after the candle is extinguished. In summary, it has not been previously suggested to decorate a candle or candle holder, jar, globe, or chimney, which will be subject to elevated temperatures during normal use, by application of a heat-shrinkable film having such properties as color changing as a result of elevation of temperature. The known art does not suggest such an application, nor does it suggest with any certainty that heat-shrinkable polymers could be used to decorate such a combustible product with the desired result.
The present invention addresses the foregoing by providing a product and method in which a luminary product is decorated by enveloping the luminary, candle, or holder, in a decorative, heat-shrinkable polymer wrap having the specified properties, and heat-shrinking the wrap about the luminary, candle, or candle holder.
The novel luminaries obtained by the practice of this invention produce visual effects which are inexpensive, visually pleasing, change with the duration of the burning of the candle, and are capable of being provided with a large variety of designs, such as with seasonal or holiday themes.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of decorating a candle product, and includes the steps of providing a web of a heat-shrinkable polymer having a specific decorative feature, and encasing with the web a luminary product. After the encasing step, the web is heated to shrink the web to conform to a shape of the luminary product. In a case in which the luminary product comprises a candle holder, a candle may be inserted into the candle holder to enhance and enable the effect of the polymeric wrap employed. Thus, in one aspect, the present invention relates to a decorated candle product including a candle and a candle holder containing the candle. A decorative web of a heat-shrinkable polymer web having a pattern printed thereupon, said pattern being at least partially comprised of a thermochromic or thermochromatic material, is heat shrunk to conform to the shape of the candle or the candle holder. The web thus has a decorative feature, i.e. a pattern printed in a thermochromatic or color changing paint or ink, which feature cooperates with light and heat emitted by the candle to enable the visual effect created when the candle is burned. While the following description is written primarily in terms of application of a web to a candle holder, the present invention is also applicable to the application of a web directly to the outer surface of a candle per se. As an example, pillar candles may be wrapped with a web having a decorative feature, particularly where the diameter of the pillar candle is sufficient that the walls of the pillar candle remain thick enough to prevent softening or melting of the outer surface of the candle as the flame consumes the central portion of the candle, but not so thick as to prevent elevating the temperature of the outer surface. Another example of a candle having a wrap applied in accordance with the present invention would be a pillar candle having a centrally located candle holder in the xe2x80x9cborexe2x80x9d of the candle, said holder being suitable for containing and burning a smaller candle, such as a votive candle or tea light. In such instances, the flame at the wick of the candle will illuminate and heat the outer surface of the candle from within, and activate the color changing ink on the decorative wrap, which will then appear to be of a different color after the candle has been burned for some period of time, and will fade to the original color when the candle is extinguished.
These and other aspects, objects, features, and advantages will be more evident from the following description and drawings, in which like reference numerals relate to like elements throughout.